hole up

verb

holed up; holing up; holes up

intransitive verb

: to hide out in or as if in a hole or cave

transitive verb

: to place in or as if in a refuge or hiding place

Synonyms of hole up

• hide
• lurk
• lie

Examples of hole up in a Sentence

we'll hole up in the cellar and wait out the hurricane

Recent Examples on the Web

On game days, Jones would arrive at Bank of America Stadium in the morning and hole up in the weight room. — Joseph Person, New York Times, 25 July 2026

The reason he’s been holed up in his room and acting differently doesn’t have to do with a victimless traffic violation. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 July 2026

The best World Cup base camps have tended to be quiet ones, with squads that hole up in small towns and bond away from the spotlight routinely outlasting teams stationed amid bigger circuses. — Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

On the day of our video chat, Alejandro and Estevan—currently on tour with Jack Johnson—are spending a morning holed up in their hotel rooms and understandably side-eyeing TVs in the background. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 9 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for hole up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

Kids Definition

hole up

verb

: to take shelter in or as if in a hole or cave